New technologies such as e-readers, smart phones and tablet computers have been adopted all over the world, and very often are the primary technology for reading for many people, including children and youth. Libraries around the world have had to adapt to the changing and growing digital culture. There are challenges and opportunities, and limited basis for making important policy choices. This conference intends to address these questions and to produce recommendations useful to practitioners.

The expected audience is likely to include public and school librarians, teachers, cultural workers, students and scholars as well other professionals working with teenagers and young adults.

We are particularly interested in presentations on the following topics:

Deciding between promoting digital or print for children and youth reading: Parameters of the decision and would involve researchers and practitioners discussing the difficult choices that libraries face about budgetary and manpower tradeoffs between developing and promoting digital versus print resources. Included in this discussion are cost issues as well as impact (on reading practices and effects)

Library impact on children’s and young adult literature would stimulate discussion of how specialized libraries for children and youth are shaping the decisions of publishers and authors. For example, the decisions of libraries to deliberately build collections that include much diversity of reading material may support publications and publishers that might not survive in a purely household market for digital and print reading resources.

How do library spaces promote children and youth reading in an increasingly digital world would generate discussion of the design criteria (from best practices to cost-effective practices) that are being used to promote reading amongst the target population.

Submission Guidelines

Proposals should be submitted by completing the following online form before 31 January 2016 the extended deadline 1 March 2016 or sent via email to:

The official language of the meeting itself is English. Unfortunately, at this time simultaneous translation cannot be provided. Papers may be submitted in English, French or Spanish. Every attempt will be made to have translations of papers available before the meeting.

The abstracts will be reviewed by the Review Committee. Successful proposals will be identified and announced by early March 2016.

Full text papers should be submitted in a Word or PDF file by 30 April 2016. Papers should be 3-20 pages long and written in English or in French. Papers must include an abstract and an appendix with practical recommendations derived from the paper.

The length of oral presentations of papers will be communicated in due time, but will likely be a maximum of 20 minutes. Presentations must be in English. The texts of oral presentations must be sent at least three weeks before the conference, so that their translation can be prepared.

Program committee for selection of papers

Anthony Bernier, I-school, San Jose State UniversityMichael Kevane, Santa Clara University (member IFLA Section Libraries for Children and Young Adults)

Karen Keyes, Coordinator of Young Adult Services at Brooklyn Public Library (member IFLA Section Libraries for Children and Young Adults)

Important Dates

1 March 2016

Deadline for submissions

early March 2016

Notification of acceptance/rejection

April 2016

Final program and full registration information

30 May 2016

Deadline for submission of final papers

Registration and payment

The conference co-organizers have determined that a registration fee of $60 will be required of each participant in order to cover expenses. (Early registration before May 1 2016 will be $50.) An online registration form and Paypal electronic payment system will soon be available for registration at the Satellite meeting website https://iflasatellite2016.wordpress.com/

Registration fees will be waived for the speakers. However, it is the speakers’ responsibility to find funding for travel, accommodation and associated costs, which IFLA and its Sections are not in a position to fund.